Beth-aven--in Benjamin; not as in [Ho 4:15]; Beth-el, but a town east of it ([Jos 7:2]). "Cry aloud," namely, to raise the alarm. "Benjamin" is put for the whole southern kingdom of Judah (compare [Ho 5:5]), being the first part of it which would meet the foe advancing from the north. "After thee, O Benjamin," implies the position of Beth-aven, behind Benjamin, at the borders of Ephraim. When the foe is at Beth-aven, he is at Benjamin's rear, close upon thee, O Benjamin ([Jud 5:14]).
9-10. Israel is referred to in [Ho 5:9], Judah in [Ho 5:10].
the day of rebuke--the day when I shall chastise him.
among the tribes of Israel have I made known--proving that the scene of Hosea's labor was among the ten tribes.
that which shall surely be--namely, the coming judgment here foretold. It is no longer a conditional decree, leaving a hope of pardon on repentance; it is absolute, for Ephraim is hopelessly impenitent.
11. broken in judgment--namely, the "judgment" of God on him ([Ho 5:1]).
walked after the commandment--Jeroboam's, to worship the calves ([2Ki 10:28-33]). Compare [Mi 6:16], "the statutes of Omri," namely, idolatrous statutes. We ought to obey God rather than men ([Ac 5:29]). Jerome reads "filthiness." The Septuagint gives the sense, not the literal translation: "after vanities."
12. as a moth--consuming a garment ([Job 13:28]; [Psa 39:11]; [Is 50:9]).
Judah ... rottenness--Ephraim, or the ten tribes, are as a garment eaten by the moth; Judah as the body itself consumed by rottenness ([Pr 12:4]). Perhaps alluding to the superiority of the latter in having the house of David, and the temple, the religious center of the nation [Grotius]. As in [Ho 5:13], , the violence of the calamity is prefigured by the "wound" which "a lion" inflicts, so here its long protracted duration, and the certainty and completeness of the destruction from small unforeseen beginnings, by the images of a slowly but surely consuming moth and rottenness.
13. wound--literally, "bandage"; hence a bandaged wound ([Is 1:6]; [Jr 30:12]). "Saw," that is, felt its weakened state politically, and the dangers that threatened it. It aggravates their perversity, that, though aware of their unsound and calamitous state, they did not inquire into the cause or seek a right remedy.
went ... to the Assyrian--First, Menahem ([2Ki 15:19]) applied to Pul; again, Hoshea to Shalmaneser ([2Ki 17:3]).
sent to King Jareb--Understand Judah as the nominative to "sent." Thus, as "Ephraim saw his sickness" (the first clause) answers in the parallelism to "Ephraim went to the Assyrian" (the third clause), so "Judah saw his wound" (the second clause) answers to (Judah) "sent to King Jareb" (the fourth clause). Jareb ought rather to be translated, "their defender," literally, "avenger" [Jerome]. The Assyrian "king," ever ready, for his own aggrandizement, to mix himself up with the affairs of neighboring states, professed to undertake Israel's and Judah's cause; in [Jud 6:32], Jerub, in Jerub-baal is so used, namely, "plead one's cause." Judah, under Ahaz, applied to Tiglath-pileser for aid against Syria and Israel ([2Ki 16:7], ; [2Ch 28:16-21]); the Assyrian "distressed him, but strengthened him not," fulfiling the prophecy here, "he could not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
14. lion--The black lion and the young lion are emblems of strength and ferocity ([Psa 91:13]).
I, even I--emphatic; when I, even I, the irresistible God, tear in pieces ([Psa 50:22]), no Assyrian power can rescue.
go away--as a lion stalks leisurely back with his prey to his lair.
15. return to my place--that is, withdraw My favor.
till they acknowledge their offence--The Hebrew is, "till they suffer the penalty of their guilt." Probably "accepting the punishment of their guilt" (compare [Zec 11:5]) is included in the idea, as English Version translates. Compare [Le 26:40], ; [Jr 29:12], ; [Eze 6:9]; ; .
seek my face--that is, seek My favor ([Pr 29:26], Margin).
in ... affliction ... seek me early--that is, diligently; rising up before dawn to seek Me ([Psa 119:147]; compare [Psa 78:34]).
Chapter 6
Ho 6:1-11. The Israelites' Exhortation to One Another to Seek the Lord
At [Ho 6:4] a new discourse, complaining of them, begins; for [Ho 6:1-3] evidently belong to [Ho 5:15], and form the happy termination of Israel's punishment: primarily, the return from Babylon; ultimately, the return from their present long dispersion. [Ho 6:8] perhaps refers to the murder of Pekahiah; the discourse cannot be later than Pekah's reign, for it was under it that Gilead was carried into captivity ([2Ki 15:29]).
1. let us return--in order that God who has "returned to His place" may return to us ([Ho 5:15]).
torn, and ... heal--([De 32:39]; [Jr 30:17]). They ascribe their punishment not to fortune, or man, but to God, and acknowledge that none (not the Assyrian, as they once vainly thought, [Ho 5:13]) but God can heal their wound. They are at the same time persuaded of the mercy of God, which persuasion is the starting-point of true repentance, and without which men would not seek, but hate and flee from God. Though our wound be severe, it is not past hope of recovery; there is room for grace, and a hope of pardon. He hath smitten us, but not so badly that He cannot heal us ([Psa 130:4]).
2. Primarily, in type, Israel's national revival, in a short period ("two or three" being used to denote a few days, [Is 17:6]; [Lu 13:32], ); antitypically the language is so framed as to refer in its full accuracy only to Messiah, the ideal Israel ([Is 49:3]; compare [Mt 2:15], with [Ho 11:1]), raised on the third day ([Joh 2:19]; [1Co 15:4]; compare [Is 53:10]). "He shall prolong His days." Compare the similar use of Israel's political resurrection as the type of the general resurrection of which "Christ is the first-fruits" ([Is 26:19]; [Eze 37:1-14]; [Da 12:2]).
live in his sight--enjoy His favour and the light of His countenance shining on us, as of old; in contrast to [Ho 5:6], , "Withdrawn Himself from them."
3. know, if we follow on to know the Lord--The result of His recovered favor ([Ho 6:2]) will be onward growth in saving knowledge of God, as the result of perseverance in following after Him ([Psa 63:8]; [Is 54:13]). "Then" implies the consequence of the revival in [Ho 6:2]. The "if" is not so much conditional, as expressive of the means which God's grace will sanctify to the full enlightenment of Israel in the knowledge of Him. As want of "knowledge of God" has been the source of all evils ([Ho 4:1]; ), so the knowledge of Him will bring with it all blessings; yea, it is "life" ([Joh 17:3]). This knowledge is practice, not mere theory ([Jr 22:15], ). Theology is life, not science; realities, not words. This onward progress is illustrated by the light of "morning" increasing more and more "unto the perfect day" ([Pr 4:18]).
prepared--"is sure," literally, "fixed," ordered in His everlasting purposes of love to His covenant-people. Compare "prepared of God" ([Ge 41:32], Margin; [Re 12:6]). Jehovah shall surely come to the relief of His people after their dark night of calamity.
as the morning--([2Sa 23:4]).
as the rain ... latter ... former--([Job 29:23]; [Joe 2:23]). First, "the rain" generally is mentioned; then the two rains ([De 11:14]) which caused the fertility of Palestine, and the absence of which was accounted the greatest calamity: "the latter rain" which falls in the latter half of February, and during March and April, just before the harvest whence it takes its name, from a root meaning "to gather"; and "the former rain," literally, "the darting rain," from the middle of October to the middle of December. As the rain fertilizes the otherwise barren land, so God's favor will restore Israel long nationally lifeless.
4. what shall I do unto thee--to bring thee back to piety. What more could be done that I have not done, both in mercies and chastenings ([Is 5:4])? At this verse a new discourse begins, resuming the threats ([Ho 5:14]). See opening remarks on this chapter.
goodness--godliness.
morning cloud--soon dispersed by the sun ([Ho 13:3]). There is a tacit contrast here to the promise of God's grace to Israel hereafter, in [Ho 6:3]. His going forth is "as the morning," shining more and more unto the perfect day; your goodness is "as a morning cloud," soon vanishing. His coming to His people is "as the (fertilizing) latter and former rains"; your coming to Him "as the early dew goeth away."
5. I hewed them by the prophets--that is, I announced by the prophets that they should be hewn asunder, like trees of the forest. God identifies His act with that of His prophets; the word being His instrument for executing His will ([Jr 1:10]; [Eze 43:3]).
by ... words of my mouth--([Is 11:4]; [Jr 23:29]; [He 4:12]).
thy judgments--the judgments which I will inflict on thee, Ephraim and Judah ([Ho 6:4]). So "thy judgments," that is, those inflicted on thee ([Zep 3:15]).
are as the light, &c.--like the light, palpable to the eyes of all, as coming from God, the punisher of sin. Henderson translates, "lightning" (compare Margin, [Job 37:3], ).
6. mercy--put for piety in general, of which mercy or charity is a branch.
not sacrifice--that is, "rather than sacrifice." So "not" is merely comparative ([Ex 16:8]; [Joe 2:13]; [Joh 6:27]; [1Ti 2:14]). As God Himself instituted sacrifices, it cannot mean that He desired them not absolutely, but that even in the Old Testament, He valued moral obedience as the only end for which positive ordinances, such as sacrifices, were instituted--as of more importance than a mere external ritual obedience ([1Sa 15:22]; [Psa 50:8], ; ; [Is 1:11], ; [Mi 6:6-8]; [Mt 9:13]; ).
knowledge of God--experimental and practical, not merely theoretical ([Ho 6:3]; [Jr 22:16]; [1Jo 2:3], ). "Mercy" refers to the second table of the law, our duty to our fellow man; "the knowledge of God" to the first table, our duty to God, including inward spiritual worship. The second table is put first, not as superior in dignity, for it is secondary, but in the order of our understanding.
7. like men--the common sort of men ([Psa 82:7]). Not as Margin, "like Adam," [Job 31:33]. For the expression "covenant" is not found elsewhere applied to Adam's relation to God; though the thing seems implied ([Ro 5:12-19]). Israel "transgressed the covenant" of God as lightly as men break everyday compacts with their fellow men.
there--in the northern kingdom, Israel.
8. Gilead ... city--probably Ramoth-gilead, metropolis of the hilly region beyond Jordan, south of the Jabbok, known as "Gilead" ([1Ki 4:13]; compare [Ge 31:21-25]).
work iniquity--([Ho 12:11]).
polluted with blood--"marked with blood-traces" [Maurer]. Referring to Gilead's complicity in the regicidal conspiracy of Pekah against Pekahiah ([2Ki 15:25]). See on [Ho 6:1]. Many homicides were there, for there were beyond Jordan more cities of refuge, in proportion to the extent of territory, than on this side of Jordan ([Nu 35:14]; [De 4:41-43]; [Jos 20:8]). Ramoth-gilead was one.